Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Canada
Watch out, Canada alters bumper standards
Come September 1, 2009, Canadian bumper standards will finally adhere to those in Europe and the United States, despite IIHS disagreeing on the matter. Canada's current standards have very strict low speed impact requirements. These damage protection standards often lead manufacturers to tack ugly padding on their bumpers. The unique standards can also be used as an excuse to keep many vehicles out of the Canadian market altogether. The costs necessary for manufacturers to meet and verify these tough regulations only up the price for the maple leaf market over the rest of North America. The adoption of a consistent standard should diminish the confusion felt by automotive consumers and allow them access to the cars they desire. It might also add more cushion for careless pedestrians who manage to get tagged by slow moving vehicles. Thanks for the tips everyone.
[Source: Canada Gazette]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Dan 11:33AM (6/27/2008)
Hooray! R32! :D:D:D
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IK47 10:24PM (6/27/2008)
skyline r33 and r34?
evo?
TVR?
where does it end?!
tankd0g 11:43AM (6/27/2008)
Good news, I guess? Ins. companies will probably seize on this as yet another reason to raise rates in Canada.
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Craig 11:57AM (6/27/2008)
Sadly, that will most likely happen.
MemphisNET 11:52AM (6/27/2008)
Would this also alter import requirements? For example, if I was to buy a used US-Spec Corvette and bring it into Canada, currently you have to alter it WITH the Canadian-spec trim/ugly bumper additions. Would this be thrown out? Or would it be like emission/safety standards and still have to conform to previous-year standards.
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Craig 11:56AM (6/27/2008)
No - most US manufacturers design their cars to include Canada anyway.
Actually a lot of companies seem to - the only one I can think of that wasn't and has bumperettes is the last and current gen Audi TT.
Jonathan McCreery 11:56AM (6/27/2008)
Be advised it's only for cars built after Sept 1 2007 and the GTO and Evolution cars are still excluded (I called and asked)
http://www.tc.gc.ca/mediaroom/releases/nat/2008/08-h158e.htm
I wanna move to the US... :(
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Craig 11:59AM (6/27/2008)
I sent this into AutoBlog earlier - same basic info, but it seems you can import them from the States if you go through the right paperwork and procedure.
http://www.canadiandriver.com/thenews/2008/06/26/canada-harmonizes-bumper-standard.htm
I think most often car companies use the bumper standards as an excuse not to import cars they think won't be very profitable.
Jonathan McCreery 11:58AM (6/27/2008)
No R32 , while the bumpers meet our STDs the height of the bumper does not , and no you can't change the springs.. asked about that too.. it's a revision not designed for enthusiasts..
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tankd0g 12:08PM (6/27/2008)
Next up, adopting the USA's 25 year rule.
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SPG 12:27PM (6/27/2008)
Let's hope not.
integradude 12:23PM (6/27/2008)
"The Motor Vehicle Safety Act allows for the importation of vehicles sold at the retail level in the United States that are not in full compliance with Canadian safety standards provided the vehicles were originally manufactured to comply with all applicable Federal Safety Standards of the United States(Canadian Gazzette)."
I think there might be many interested parties(myself included)in canada that will now be searching the classifieds in the US for a certain(slightly) used 4 door Compact with AWD and turbocharger.
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integradude 12:26PM (6/27/2008)
just after i wrote that damn laws well at least theres one less hoop to jump through
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Zerk 12:53PM (6/27/2008)
Canada is lowering it's standards, not raising them. Pedestrians are NOT safer.
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Rocketboy 1:12PM (6/27/2008)
Screw em. A bumper to the side of the face will teach them not to stand in front of a moving car.
jason 1:28PM (6/27/2008)
zerk, that's nonsense, this law doesn't affect pedestrian safety. The purpose of these low-speed bumper collision laws is, and I'm quoting the Government of Canada's official release here:
"to protect the safety equipment of the vehicle, such as the lights, from damage in a low speed collision [...] prevent or reduce physical damage to the front and rear of passenger cars in low-speed collisions, while protecting the hood, trunk, grill, fuel, exhaust, and cooling systems as well as safety related equipment such as parking lights, headlamps and tail lamps in low speed collisions"
Moreover, the Canadian government notes that there's no real connection between protecting a car's bumpers and pedestrian safety:
"It is now impossible to determine if the unique Canadian test speeds provide any safety benefit. As there are over 370 pedestrian fatalities per year (a significant portion of the 2 900 fatalities per year on Canadian roads), it is proposed that it is time to refocus road safety efforts away from higher test speeds aimed to protect the vehicle safety systems, and to begin to facilitate future pedestrian safety designs."
Source:
http://gazetteducanada.gc.ca/partII/2008/20080625/html/sor199-e.html
jgp 12:55PM (6/27/2008)
Bumpers should really be none of the govnoment's business...
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Dan 1:34PM (6/27/2008)
The US standard for bumpers requires (very) low speed protection for safety equipment (headlights, brake lights, airbag sensors) on the theory that people are going to drive home after parking lot dings and having that equipment functional will prevent more serious accidents that will be paid for by the rest of us. I think that's reasonable. In practice the 2.5 mph requirement is so low as to not make any difference.
The best thing the government could do about car fragility is pass a law that the vehicle owner alone is liable for damage over the first $1000 in a low speed crash. You've seen the IIHS tests every year where modern cars take $3-5,000 in damage in a single tap at 3mph. That's coming out of your insurance premiums whether it was your accident or not, and it's outrageous.
Driving a faberge egg around should be your choice, but also your responsibility. Knowing that you - not the other guy, not an insurance company, you - will be liable for fixing it would have a 5 star bumper rating on every mainstream vehicle in the country without needing any government micro-meddling whatsoever.
psarhjinian 1:54PM (6/27/2008)
Then tell the insurance companies, because they're the ones demanding these changes.
You get the government you pay for. In this case, the insurance industries didn't pay enough
Kunikos 1:17PM (6/27/2008)
Too bad this won't prevent companies from making ugly versions of their product lines out of their European or Japanese counterparts (Ford Focus, Mazda 6, etc).
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